Day 3: Galway Pt.1

The day started with a 6:55 alarm that had most people scrambling down to the restaurant to try and get to breakfast by 7 am. After a nice breakfast, including cereal, fruit, and yogurt, we hopped on the bus around 8 am and headed off to Galway, kissing the Generator goodbye. 

On the bus, a bunch of the lads played card games, including hearts and president, while the girls mostly listened to music and chatted about the upcoming day. After about an hour and a half in the bus, we made a pit stop at a rest stop with a McDonalds, and a Circle K, where most kids enjoyed snacks and beverages while others, such as myself (Jake) and Blake, enjoyed flapjacks and hash browns from McDonalds.

 The rest of the ride was pretty quiet as I “tried” to play solitaire and think more about how I could connect what I learned yesterday about the Gaelic Athletic Association to my research after we passed a bunch of Gaelic clubs and fields/pitches. Also, I was fascinated with whether I knew of any GAA clubs in the United States, as they mentioned that the Gaelic Games and their influence have spread worldwide. Before this trip, I never knew that a Gaelic club existed in present-day Providence, Rhode Island, and I look forward to visiting one of these clubs in the future and learning about why traditional Gaelic games have been so important for U.S Irish immigrants to carry on. 

The bus ride went by fast for some and slow for others, but we eventually got to our new hostel named Kinlay Hostel in Galway, where we moved into our rooms. After getting settled, we made our way over to McSwiggin's restaurant for lunch, about a 7-minute walk from the hostel, where most of the crew either enjoyed a nice beef burger or a vegetarian gnocchi pasta. 

We went down to a beach in Galway near where we were staying and met with a man who worked with the local Galway Aquarium. He told us about the efforts that they were making to help the local biodiversity and discussed past errors that led to disturbances in the ecosystem. An example was a species of oysters that were brought in to help feed more people due to their larger size. However, they soon became invasive, decimating the local food chain. 

We then proceeded to pick up pieces of trash along the beach while also collecting shark eggs, shells, and bits of driftwood. At the end, we created a mural using the interesting bits of shells and eggs we collected, knowing that it will eventually disintegrate and become a part of the dune. My (Jaiden) research is primarily focused on how Irish whiskey, through globalism, became an international phenomenon. Along the coast I saw old distilleries that were converted to other businesses, alluding to the historical collapse of the Irish whiskey industry in the early 1900s. Seeing the coast and how the docks are so integral to Galway showed me just one of the ways this small island is connected with the rest of the world. 

After the beach, we made our way towards the Charles Byrne bookstore. The group spent the better half of an hour looking through books filled with Irish history in conflict, religion, and politics, along with other general genres of literature. In the bookstore, I (Max) found many books on the origins of Irish Catholics and their long and troubled history with the English loyalists. Many of the topics in the store were vital to my research on the history of Irish conflict through Christianity and the separation of Northern Ireland and the British loyalists, so I found the extra time in the store helpful for personal research. There was a whole section of books chronologically ordered, starting B.C.E. all the way to the end of the troubles in 1998.

By the time we left, the rain was in full swing, so the tour guides, Andy and Sophie, steered us into the Aran Sweater Market, a local clothing store that specializes in wool hats and sweaters. Around 5:30, we made our way back to the hostel and rested for 2 hours before heading to McSwiggin’s for dinner.

At McSwiggin's, the appetizer was potato bisque soup, the entrée was roast chicken with potatoes, and we ended with a light meringue. The walk back to the hostel was rainy and when we got back we proceeded with the bandana ceremony, crowning James as the bandana holder for his willingness to always help no matter the time or place.

We are looking for another fun day in Galway tomorrow! 

Jake, James, Max